Eight-run frame puts end to Fairfield upset bid

GRINNELL ? One bad half-inning for Fairfield turned what was once a close game vs. third-ranked Grinnell into one of its most lopsided losses of the season.

The Trojans initially found themselves down 8-2, but a five-run fifth frame cut Fairfield?s deficit to one. Grinnell then broke the game wide open in the sixth inning, scoring eight more runs for a 17-8 victory.

?It took a big bottom of the sixth for Grinnell to break it open,? said Fairfield head coach Josh Allison. ?We had too many errors tonight. You can?t have that kind of defensive night against the No. 3 team.?

While Fairfield struggled on the defensive end ? committing five errors on the evening ? several Trojans continued their recent string of hot hitting. And no inning was a better example of that than the fifth frame, when the Trojans cut a six-run deficit to one.

A trio of walks by Austin Gridley, Kooper Dahlstrom and Tyler Cooksey loaded the bases to begin the frame. Brent Buch knocked in the inning?s first run with a single, Dahlstrom scored on a fielder?s choice and Darrin Dimmitt hit an RBI-sacrifice fly. Corbin Harwood belted a two-run homer to cap the five-run inning.

After Grinnell answered with one run in the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans scored their eighth and final run in the top of the sixth when Dahlstrom doubled home Josh Dimmitt.

?Offensively we did a good job of knowing the strike zone and not expanding, not pressing at the plate,? Allison said. ?We put some really solid swings on the baseball tonight.?

Harwood knocked in two runs with a homer and double, Buch went 3 for 4 with an RBI, and Dahlstrom was 1 for 3 with a two-bagger.

Darrin Dimmitt was tagged with the loss on 3 1/3 innings of seven-run ball; he allowed seven hits and a walk. Gridley was hit with another seven runs, only two of which were earned, in 1 2/3 innings of relief, and Dahlstrom allowed three runs while striking out two in the final frame.

The Trojans (9-13-1, 5-5 SEC) host a Southeast Conference doubleheader with Keokuk today.

Fairfield @ Grinnell

Fairfield ? 1 0 0 1 5 1 0 ? 8 7 5

Grinnell ? 3 0 2 3 1 8 X ? 17 13 2

FAIRFIELD ? Buch 3-4, RBI, R; Harwood 2-3, HR, 2B, 2RBI, 2R; Dahlstrom 1-3, 2B, RBI, R; J. Dimmitt 1-3, R; Gridley RBI, R; Peterman RBI, R; D. Dimmitt RBI; Cooksey R

Pitching ? D. Dimmitt (L) 3.1 INN, 7R, 4ER, 7H, BB; Gridley 1.2 INN, 7R, 2ER, 4H, K, 2BB; Dahlstrom 1 INN, 3R, 3ER, 2H, 2K, 2BB

Fairfield JV buries Grinnell

GRINNELL ? Tyler Cooksey went 4 for 4 with a grand slam, triple and six RBI to lead the Fairfield JV softball team to a 17-3 win over Grinnell Wednesday.

Other leading hitters for Fairfield were Patrick Ives, who went 2 for 4 with two RBI, and Riley Hammel, who finished 2 for 2 with a pair of runs batted in. Jordan Reid was 1 for 4 with three RBI, and Wyatt Stark and Keith Burns knocked in one run apiece.

Starting pitcher Jordan Whitney, who scored three runs, allowed three runs on five hits in four innings of work. He struck out two.

The Fairfield JV team plays a doubleheader in Keokuk Friday.